


Need to Touch

by girlwithaplan



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Past Abuse, barely mention the regent and no details about what happened, poor Nik didn't sign up for this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-28 17:45:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7650463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlwithaplan/pseuds/girlwithaplan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laurent had just sent his uncle to prison for 30 years and moved across the country with Damen. But he's still haunted from thousands of miles away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Need to Touch

The clock on the microwave read 3:15 and Laurent's eyes are burning. He's trying desperately not to cry, but he's so, so tired. 

Moving across the country wth Damen to get away from Laurent's extended family was absolutely the right decision. Once he won the court case against his uncle, they got in their jeep and drove from New York City to Seattle. The rainy weather matched Laurent's disposition and Damen's childhood best friend lived nearby and found them a gorgeous apartment. 

They'd just finished unpacking all of their boxes that afternoon and Laurent had made it all day without a panic attack, so naturally his crippling nightmares returned. His hands were shaking and he gulped down a glass of water before sinking to the floor, allowing the kitchen cabinets to support his shivering form. 

Once his mind stopped racing, he could make out the faint sound of his boyfriend snoring in their bed. Thinking about him made a nice distraction, so Laurent indulged himself in some truly sappy trains of thought. 

Sweet, kind, patient Damen had been right behind him (literally) throughout the whole trial. Every time he turned around and caught a glimpse of Damen's poorly-concealed anger and concern, something in Laurent settled and he was able to annihilate his uncle in court. That bastard was in jail for the next 30 years and for once in his life, Laurent was free and safe. So why was he sitting on the kitchen floor in his underwear, trembling and sniffling like a child? 

He was scrubbing the heels of his hands into his wet eyes when he heard Damen's heavy footsteps coming down the hall. Laurent hid his face in his knees and listened as his giant animal stubbed his toe in the dark and cursed softly before stopping in front of Laurent. 

"What's wrong?" Damen asked, voice nearly a whisper. Laurent sighed and allowed his shoulders to slump. It was useless after two years with Damen to lie to him. He'd know Laurent was lying and if he was deceived, his sad face wasn't worth the trouble. Anyone else's disappointment wouldn't faze Laurent in the least. But Damen was so incredibly patient with him and accepted him and loved him with wide open arms that being the cause of Damen's sadness was unfathomable to Laurent. 

"Nightmare," he admitted, finally looking up at Damen's face, blinking hard. Damen sighed and offered both his hands to Laurent, palms up. Laurent took them and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. Those same huge hands came up to cradle his face with dizzying gentleness.

"You're safe here with me, love," Damen said softly, leaning forward to kiss Laurent's forehead, "he can't hurt you anymore." Laurent tensed up defensively, "I know that, Damianos." 

Undeterred, one of Damen's hands found its way into Laurent's long, soft hair, scratching lightly against his scalp. The other cupped the back of his neck, holding Laurent in place. He waited, infinitely patient, and eventually Laurent gave in and allowed his head to drop onto Damen's shoulder. 

"I can't," he choked out, voice thick with emotion, "I can't get him out of my head." Damen slid his arms around Laurent to bring him close and said, "I'm sorry." Before Laurent could object, Damen continued, one hand gliding up and down his boyfriend's back, "You don't have to be be over it just because the legal part's done. I don't expect that. No one does. I'm sure it'll take time, but I wish I could help more, sweetheart." Damen kissed his cheek and squeezed Laurent while he finished, "I wish I could fix it, but I'm here for whatever you need, I promise."

Damen could feel it a moment later when Laurent gave up trying to hold himself together and slumped against him, sobbing into his chest. Damen stood there, a rock solid wall for Laurent to cling to, and kept him upright. Laurent cried for a long time, but Damen would've stood there for days if that was what Laurent needed. 

"I'm so tired," Laurent admitted once he'd stopped crying, arms falling limp against his sides, but still relying completely on Damen to keep him from falling. "Want me to carry you?" Damen asked, resting his cheek on Laurent's hair. He could feel Laurent shake his head before straightening up and shuffling back toward the bedroom. Without turning, Laurent reached back with one hand for Damen's, sighing a little when their fingers linked together.

Once they made it to the bed, Laurent crawled in and sat himself against the headboard. Damen barely stifled a groan because he knew this usually meant Laurent wasn't planning on sleeping yet and Damen was exhausted too. 

But he wouldn't, couldn't go back to sleep after an outburst like the one in the kitchen. Laurent had nightmares regularly, but often Damen only knew because he'd wake up in the morning and, instead of spooning, Laurent would be mostly on top of him, like he'd wanted to burrow into Damen's chest but but not wake him up. 

So Damen slipped into their en suite and used the toilet before splashing his face with cold water. He had to take several deep breaths to keep himself from breaking something when he thought of the reason for his love's distress. Damen would need to find a gym or box with Nikandros soon or he might explode with all the hate he felt for Laurent's uncle. But, he reminded himself, his anger didn't help Laurent right now. He might appreciate it when he wanted to rant and rage and break something, but that would take time. 

When he emerged from the bathroom, it was clear Laurent had been watching for him because he looked away immediately, as if he'd been caught. Damen pulled back the sheets and lay down, intending to flip over and face Laurent, but he didn't get a chance. Before he could say anything, Laurent crawled over and laid on top of him, pushing his face into Damen's neck. Damen wrapped both arms firmly around Laurent and turned his head to the side, rubbing his nose against Laurent's forehead and kissing his nose before allowing his eyes to shut. 

"I love you," Laurent whispered against his skin a moment later, "I know I don't say it enough, but I really, really love you." Damen couldn't help the goofy smile from spreading across his face when he said, "You say it plenty, baby. I love you, too." Laurent pushed himself up to kiss Damen soundly before snuggling back down and falling asleep. 

It must've been at least mid-morning, judging by the bright sunlight streaming through the bedroom windows, Damen thought as he started to wake up. That, and the pounding on the apartment door. Laurent was still sleeping, snoring softly, so Damen very carefully picked up his phone and texted Nikandros one-handed.

D: Just come in already. The spare key is under the mat. 

N: Are you two fucking? I'm not walking in on that AGAIN. 

D: No, but Laurent is still sleeping. So stop making so much damn noise. 

He heard the door open and shut somewhat quietly and bags being plunked down on the counter, so hopefully food. Laurent yawned loudly and Damen opened his mouth to say something like "good morning", but Laurent rolled off of him and pulled at Damen so he'd be on top, supporting himself on his elbow.

"Hello, lover," Laurent said fondly, reaching up to brush his fingers through Damen's curls. Damen leaned down to capture Laurent's lips in a slow, warm kiss. Laurent wasted no time in progressing to a full-on make out session that might've lead elsewhere if there hadn't been a crash and a loud curse from the living room. 

Laurent raised an eyebrow at Damen who shook his head and laughed, "Nik brought us breakfast, I think." Rolling his eyes, Laurent swung his legs over the edge of the bed and ran a hand through his sleep-missed hair. "I guess I'll forgive him if you promise to shower with me later," he said with a dark look in his crystal blue eyes. 

"I promise," Damen said seriously, getting up and searching his unpacked boxes for a shirt and pants. Suddenly, there were thin pale arms encircling him and Laurent's lithe body pressing against his back. The embrace lasted longer than usual, so Damen turned his head and asked, "Everything okay?" 

He felt a puff of breath against his back before he got an answer, "I just need a minute..." Laurent swallowed and squeezed Damen tighter, "with you. Before I see anyone else." Damen waited, but when Laurent didn't say anything else, he placed one of his hands over Laurent's on his stomach and took deep breaths for Laurent to match since his breathing was a little more shallow than it should've been. 

Damen understood this need for closeness very well. During and after the trial, all he'd wanted to do was hold Laurent for a week, maybe longer. But it took Laurent days to accept anything past a kiss on his cheek and laying his head on Damen's shoulder when it felt too heavy. Now that he was ready to be touched, Damen would accept whatever he gave and give him whatever he wanted. He could only imagine how it felt to be in Laurent's position because just watching the man he was so deeply in love with suffer was nearly unbearable. 

He was brought out of his thoughts by Laurent's hand stroking over his stomach, circling his belly button and creeping down further, sweeping to one side to trace Damen's hipbone. A shiver coursed down his sound and Laurent chuckled, pulling his teasing fingers back up Damen's torso, patting his chest before he let go.

"Ready?" Laurent asked, smirking at Damen's flush while he readjusted his pants. "Yes," Damen replied," reaching over to take Laurent's hand as he headed for the door. "You know," Laurent said, "I can find my way down the hallway." Damen stopped and studied Laurent's expression before tightening his grip and saying, "I know but I like touching you as much as I'm allowed." A small, fond smile passed over Laurent's face and he pulled Damen down the hallway, still holding tightly to his hand despite Nikandros' grumbling. 

Maybe to spite Nik, but Damen suspected he was still feeling off, Laurent ate breakfast sitting in Damen's lap like it was something he did every day. And once they'd eaten and decided that they needed to go furniture shopping, Laurent stood up and declared, "I need to shower if we're going out." Nikandros' nod turned into a grimace when Laurent threw back over his shoulder down the hallway, "Coming, Damianos?"

Damen handed Nikandros the tv remote and practically ran to catch up.


End file.
